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The Brain Scorcher strips its victim of mind and reason, leaving only an empty, mindless shell. The brainless bodies then turn into zombies, following only the most basic instincts, wandering aimlessly around the Zone without weapons or clothing. Zombies are little more than sluggish walking corpses, caring only about food and sleep. They eat and drink just about anything they can get their claws on, hence they are virtually soaked in radiation and toxic waste. Usually they roam the Zone without any apparent purpose or just lie corpse-like in abandoned buildings. However, as soon as they sense the presence of a human being, they attack immediately. Experienced stalkers have learned to avoid them if they can.- encyclopedia description

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Contents

The Brain Scorcher strips its victim of mind and reason, leaving only an empty, mindless shell. The brainless bodies then turn into zombies, following only the most basic instincts, wandering aimlessly around the Zone without weapons or clothing. Zombies are little more than sluggish walking corpses, caring only about food and sleep. They eat and drink just about anything they can get their claws on, hence they are virtually soaked in radiation and toxic waste. Usually they roam the Zone without any apparent purpose or just lie corpse-like in abandoned buildings. However, as soon as they sense the presence of a human being, they attack immediately. Experienced stalkers have learned to avoid them if they can.

Zombies are an excellent, although variable, source of body parts that prove useful when used in conjunction with an Artifact Merger.

They may also be used to manipulate Artifact Spawns in two important locations where Springboard anomalies are present. If the player can arrange not to have them all run into anomalies at once (by making staged saves, coupled with distracting the objectives); then a fairly hefty spawning of Spring and Cake artifacts may be "encouraged". Obviously the player reloads unproductive or less successful saves. Only applies to game versions subsequent to v1.3003.

They can be confused into a more rapid 'search mode' where they trot around with an extended arm and circle around looking for the enemy within its territory.

They are very weak versus Anomalies (except Radiation) and luring them through such areas may prove to be the player's most efficient option.

If useful anomalies are unavailable in the vicinity, they will not stray very far from their specified areas, although if the player hopes to shoot them from such a vantage they will present a more mobile target as a result of their entering 'search mode'.

Zombies take an inordinate quantity of small arms fire before falling to ground.

Even then, they have the ability to 'reanimate' and get up for a second bout.

Shotguns serve well, and a Chaser 13 with an expanded shell capacity is ideal if used with buckshot.

Avoid close combat with groups at all costs.

Due to their slow moving nature and tendency to cluster when following you around, you can save ammunition by using grenades on them.

Early in the game, the player has the opportunity to clear the Vehicle Graveyard for Seriy. Since the player is unlikely to have decent armour or weaponry at this stage, this is a useful task that can use up plenty of accumulated 9x18 mm rounds. Depending on game difficulty, bring 300 rounds.